The road to the 2026 Men’s and Women’s European Water Polo Championships has officially begun, with the qualification draw determining the groups that will compete for a place in the final tournament.
With Belgrade, Serbia, set to host both competitions, teams across Europe are preparing for their chance to secure a spot in the prestigious event.
Men’s Qualification Groups
The qualification phase for the men’s competition will see teams competing across four groups, each hosted in different European cities. The top-performing teams will join the already qualified nations in Belgrade for the main tournament.
- Group A (Kranj, Slovenia): Netherlands, Slovenia, Poland, Great Britain, Czech Republic
- Group B (Istanbul, Turkey): Germany, Slovakia, Turkey, Finland, Sweden
- Group C (Tbilisi, Georgia): Georgia, Israel, Switzerland, Bulgaria
- Group D (Gzira, Malta): France, Malta, Ukraine, Portugal
Women’s Qualification Groups
The women’s qualification draw has also been finalized, with four groups competing for a chance to join the elite teams at the European Championship. Each group will play in a designated host city, with only the top teams earning their place in Belgrade.
- Group A (Setubal, Portugal): Czech Republic, Romania, Portugal
- Group B (Hannover, Germany): Germany, Turkey, Malta
- Group C (Novi Sad, Serbia): Serbia, Switzerland, Ukraine, Finland
- Group D (Novaky, Slovakia): Israel, Slovakia, Sweden
A Look at the Final Tournament in Belgrade
The 2026 European Water Polo Championships will be held at the Štark Arena in Belgrade, a venue that previously hosted the 2016 edition of the competition. With a capacity of 18,386, it is set to provide a grand stage for Europe’s best teams.
For the men’s tournament, Serbia has automatically qualified as the host nation, along with the top seven teams from the 2024 European Championship: Spain, Croatia, Italy, Hungary, Greece, Montenegro, and Romania. The remaining spots will be filled by the highest-ranked teams from the qualification phase.
Similarly, for the women’s competition, Serbia is joined by the top eight teams from the 2024 European Championship: Netherlands, Spain, Greece, Italy, Hungary, France, Great Britain, and Croatia. Seven additional teams will qualify through this round.
Excitement Builds for 2026
With the qualification draw now complete, national teams will turn their attention to their upcoming matches, where they will battle for the chance to compete on the European stage. The competition promises to be fierce, with emerging nations eager to challenge traditional powerhouses for a place in the tournament.
As teams finalize their preparations, all eyes will be on the qualification rounds in 2025, where dreams of European glory will either take shape or be shattered.